Thankfulness Game is a Great Addition to Your Thanksgiving Evening or Virtue Study

Thanks Bingo Game

Game play can help foster fun as well as discussions about Thankfulness.

One of our family traditions for almost every birthday and holiday year round is playing family bingo.  Whoever comes for the holiday meal is invited to play with our cute colourful, non-reading versions.  Our guests usually range from the littlest non-reader to our almost eighty year old Poppa.  We keep a prize platter of goodies and each winner is invited to take a prize.  The prizes are all kinds of little goodies, treats, and neats that must appeal to all ages.  It is a good way to teach about winning and losing gracefully.  We truly believe that this tradition will be one of the memory markers for our children.  Not to mention, every so often you will see charity erupt as we did this past game time as one of our children went up and picked a prize and turned around and gave it to their Poppa who hadn't won all evening.  It lets you know that you are doing something right in your parenting and training. Amen!! :)



The Prize Platter

 This year we built a new set to directly coincide with Our Virtue Lesson on Thankfulness as well as the extra people who joined us for Thanksgiving supper, which we celebrated last month here in Canada.  Today we share our 20 page, full colour Thanks Bingo Game with you.

 



 This game is easy to play and accommodates up to 15 players.  Simply print out the playing cards and laminate if desired.  Print out the call-out cards and cut them apart on the black lines.  Printing them on cardstock or heavier bond paper is best.  Once cut, you may place them all face down in a stack and simply flip a new card each turn or you can choose to glue them onto a juice can lid for added fun and suspenseful play.  We usually just put all of our juice can lid pieces in a big plastic bowl or jar, whip them around a few times and put them out one at a time. 

If you chose to laminate your cards with a heat laminant, then you could use a crayon, wipe off overhead projector pen, dry erase pen, or washable felt marker to mark the cards.  If not you can use beans, buttons, macaroni, or plastic chips from the dollar store.

Discussion Sheet

Each of the graphics used in this game has been specially selected to  represent things we should be thankful for.  As an added bonus to this game, there are three discussion sheets with suggestions for how each individual graphic can tie into our modern and spiritual life.  As a teaching aid for your Virtue Lesson, this is a great way to begin a discussion about what and why we should be thankful for different things in our life and the world around us.  This could also be a game in itself using just the call-out cards and asking children to come up with as many different reasons that each graphic was chosen. 

We hope you have fun with this game and perhaps let it become one of your new family traditions for Thanksgiving.

Click Here to download this Thanks Bingo Game. 
Please be patient with this 20 page .PDF as this is a larger file with tons of graphics.

Blessings,

That Resource Team

Welcome Fall with Fun Seasonal Themed Learning Resources



Autumn Harvest Graphing Game

 Let the fall fun begin with bright fun themed printables and games.

Fall is one of my favourite times of the year.  Why?  Of course there are the big traditional reasons of celebrating Thanksgiving, All Saints Day, Remembrance Day, and the beginning of the liturgical season of Advent, but there are also lots of little special things that make this season so memorable.  Like many Canadian families we enjoy canning fruits and veggies, waiting for the first frost to signal putting away the lawnmower, anticipating the first snowfall, lighting the first fire in the fireplace, and of course, watching hockey!! (Go, Canucks, Go!!)  But fall is special because it is a distinct reminder of God's glory in action.  Having grown up in the tropics, I only studied about the pronounced seasonal changes that many people take for granted.  It wasn't until I was an adult that I truly stared in awe at bright red maple leaves that were just green a few days before and thought to myself in childlike wonder,  "Wow, this is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen."  (This was, of course before I saw my first snowfall..lol.)

The resources we highlight today were all inspired by my love of fall and all the richness that comes with this season.  We hope your family of learners finds them fun too!!  Click the resource title to find these resources and others like them from our main resource website.

Fall Chore Chart

Fall Themed Chore Charts

Use these cute chore charts to help children remember daily or weekly chores.  This resource is only available in a blank form, in two themes.  These sheets can easily be laminated and used daily or weekly over and over again using a dry erase pen. You will also find other themed chore charts at this link.

Apple Counting Fun

 Apple Counting Fun

Younger learners can practice simple counting skills using this cute and colourful fall themed worksheet based on a favourite fall fruit, the apple.  This sheet is very appealing to new writers and the Pre/K-Gr.1 age group.

Happy Harvest Graphing Fun (pictured above)

Use fall harvest foods to practice the mathematical skill of using a bar graph.  Available in two skill levels, this simple to make and fun to use math game can be used over and over.  Non-readers can enjoy this game too. 



Fall Leaves Nature Page

Fall Themed Nature Notebooking Pages

In our collection you will find apple themed pages, falling leaves themed pages and more.  These bright cute and unlined pages remind us that fall is definitely here.  Use this page for nature walk and study notations, writing, drawing or any combination learning activities.  These are perfect for Charlotte Mason style learners.  You will find many other themed nature notebook pages at this link.

Fall Assignment Sheet

Fall Themed Assignment Sheets

Help make everyday sweet learning fun with this checklist style fall fun learning assignment sheet.  This theme is available in blank as well as pre-filled subjects (like the example at left).  These sheets help learners to stay organized while accomplishing tasks daily or even weekly.



Virtue Incentive Sheet

 Our Virtue Lesson on Thankfulness

As Thanksgiving is coming up in a week or so here in Canada, we thought you may want to begin thinking about using Our Virtue Lesson on Thankfulness as your focus for October or November.  Our Virtue Lessons are fun, easy to use, and very well received by homeschoolers and other educators as well.  We have tried to include everything you would need for a gentle month long study of the virtue of Thankfulness.  Find our core sheets to help define the virtue and give examples of the virtue in action, our printable prayer card, Aesop's Fables and copywork, scripture passages, a light reading list, worksheets, certificates, projects, incentive sheets, mini-posters and more.

I hope you find these resources helpful this fall. :)

Blessings,

Kalei - That Resource Team

More add-ons for Our Virtue Lesson on Modesty and others

More goodies to bring Our Virtue Lessons to life

We are still updating and adding NEW resources to our current selection of Our Virtue Lessons.  Today we offer a few new things which we are making available to all of our current and future lessons very shortly.  Actually many lessons have been partially updated already. :)  Here are the new additions.

We now offer a Virtue Themed Reading Log Bookmark to help children track their reading of books related to the current virtue.  Children write in the date, title, and author of their current reads and use the bookmark to keep their reading spot warm and cozy.  Each bookmark is unique to the virtue they represent.  Simply print out, cut, fold and glue.  These go very well with our reading suggestions for each virtue.

The next goodie is a F3 piece for Bible scripture work in the form of a 4 tabbed booklet that is perfect for scripture based copywork or narration.  These resources are also virtue specific and a neat little accompaniment for this study.  These little pieces can be stapled or laid out (as at left) for lift able flaps.  The graphics help remind children of different ways to practice the virtue.  Each of Our Virtue Lessons provides scripture suggestions for children of varying ages.  These are perfect as a stand alone booklet or glued onto cardstock, into a notebook or folder.


The last thing we have just begun adding to our virtues is an Achievement Certificate.  Currently only Modesty has it, but the rest are on the way shortly.  We thought it would be a nice way to finish off each lesson undertaken with these bright colourful, fun half-sheet certificates.  They are available in one or two per sheet.

Many of our lessons already have bookmarks, F3 Pieces or other add-ons.  You will find them at the bottom of the lesson pages.  Please visit us again very soon or subscribe to our feed to find out when all of the lessons have been updated.  We hope that these little additions help to make your lessons more engaging, fun, and faith-filled.

Click Here to visit Our Virtue Lesson on Modesty.

Blessings,

That Resource Team

Dr. Virtue's Literary Check-up Discussion Cards

Cute discussion cards to help kids make connections between virtues and literature.

Purposeful reading can make learning easier and more rewarding.  Many times we read books for different purposes.  We read to entertain, to relax, to educate ourselves, to find particular information and so forth.  Children must also come to know that they can read for different reasons as well.  This can, at times, help them to read more carefully and pay attention to details in characterization, plot, etc.  In the case of our book suggestions for Our Virtue Lessons, we have offered a light list of books that spans different age groups that some how relate to the intended virtue.  Sometimes the books serve to show good examples of virtuous living and at other times they serve to illustrate poor examples that we should try avoid imitating in our own lives.  Our goal was to have our children be able to recognize good and poor examples of virtuous living in all of the books they read not only those we suggest.

We wanted to provide a fun resource that could challenge children to figure out the connections between the literature selected and the virtue they were studying.  We created Dr. Virtue's Literary Check-up cards, a simple printable discussion card set that asks children to give each book "a once over check-up" looking for key information that applies to their virtue lessons.  This set can accompany any of Our Virtue Lessons and helps children find and make connections between virtues and the books they read.  We ask questions such as:

• Who is your favourite character in this book? Why?
• How could you change this story to make it more faith-filled?
• Who is the most virtuous character in this story?
• Does this story glorify God in some way?
• What things does the main character do or say that illustrates this virtues in some way?
• What is your favourite part of this story?

There are eighteen cards in all that can be used with virtue study or with any book or literary discussion.

To use this resource, simply print it out and cut apart on the lines.  Laminate pieces for durability and longevity.  Turn cards face down and have the children take turns picking and answering the cards.

We hope this helps extend the joy of your reading time and bring more meaning to the books you share with your children.

Click Here to download these discussion cards in UK/Can Eng.

Click Here to download these discussion cards in U.S. Eng.

Blessings,

That Resource Team

Modesty Definition F3 Piece

Flip, Flap, and Fold the fun in learning about Modesty

Most children love cutting and pasting.  And it's almost something you many never outgrown - just ask the scrapbookers, eh?  We hope the love of working with paper will call to the hearts of children to really internalize the study of the virtue of modesty.  Today we offer a four-flap square F3 piece on the definition of modesty which asks the question:  In what ways can I show modesty?

To use this resource, simply print out the file and follow the directions for cutting and assembling the piece.  Cut apart on lines.  Fold flaps to centre with graphics facing up.  Glue or write the definition in the centre square.  Discuss the flaps as you review the project with your learners.

    

You will need glue as well.  Younger learners may need some help with this F3 piece, but all in all it's pretty simple to create and all the components are one one sheet. Finished products can be glued into a notebook, manila folder, stored in small catalogue envelopes, added to another project or glued onto card stock.

We hope you find this activity useful and fun.

Click Here to download this 4-flap F3 piece on Modesty.

Blessings,

That Resource Team

Modesty Lesson Go-along - F3 piece - What Shall I Wear?

More resources to go along with Our Virtue Lesson on Modesty and still more to come!

Our Virtue Lessons are some of our most popular resources.  Many families drop us notes to let us know that they need, use, and love these lessons!!  Hooray for virtuous living!!  So inspired by a nice e-mail we received this past week, we decided to revisit the virtue of modesty in our own little homeschool and create some new resources to really have fun.  Join us everyday this week as we share new go along resources for Our Virtue Lesson on Modesty.  Let the fun in learning begin.

Today we offer a new F3 piece called What Shall I Wear?  This piece is designed to help children learn about appropriate dress to various places or when participating in various activities. 

This simple two page resource comes ready to go with instructions and requires a brad to complete it.  Children simply answer the question of "What Shall I Wear?" to church, to the beach, to a restaurant, to walk in the rain, to rake the leaves, to go to bed, and to play in the snow.  They can answer in words, phrases, or pictures.  This activity can serve as a wonderful catalyst for discussion of appropriate clothing.  It also allows parents to see what their children view as the norm of modern fashion, the examples of dress they choose to imitate, and so forth.  The door is opened for talking about modesty in swim wear and dressing to visit our Lord's house.  Glue the final piece into a notebook, folder or onto card stock and then hole punch an put it into a 3-ring binder.  (We put ours into our F3 folder which we hope to be able to share with you shortly.  We will include instructions on how to create your own F3 Folders for any project you may want.) 

This F3 piece is a fun activity that can be used by any age.  Some children may choose to draw very detailed versions of themselves dressed in outfits, others just draw the outfits themselves or individual articles of clothing.  For the very young, this may be a great opportunity to talk about dressing for different seasons.

We hope you find this resource joyfully useful.

Click Here to download the What Shall I Wear? F3 piece.

Click Here to visit Our Virtue Lesson on Modesty

Blessings,

That Resource Team

New Virtue Lesson on Modesty

It's taken a while, but Our Virtue Lesson on Modesty is up and ready to go!

We joyfully offer today's resources which help to promote virtuous living in our children.  Our beloved pastor constantly reminds us about the need for virtuous living in adults but also in children.  It is important for kids to know what is expected of them as Catholics, but it is also so important to give them the tools that they need to meet those expectations.  We hope that Our Virtue Lessons help parents with this sometimes challenging but always rewarding task.

Our newest lesson highlights the virtue of Modesty. This new lesson defines modesty very simply in a way that children (and adults too :) can understand its importance.  We focus on the respect for one's body, skills and thoughts.  This little unit also provides both positive and negative examples of modesty so that children can recognize both good and poor behaviour in themselves and others.  By recognizing the proper behaviour becoming of God's children, they will know how to emulate it and who may serve them as a good example to imitate.  This is so important in a world that seems to draw people farther and farther away from the Lord with it's materialism, self-centeredness and misplaced interests.

We hope you find this lesson fun and helpful - a little spot of brightness in your homeschool day.  We've included the following resources in this lesson:

• Definition sheets with a cut and paste sheet
• Printable prayer reminder card
• Example of good and poor behaviour sheet
• Incentive Chart
• Discussion questions
• Mini reminder posters
• Aesop's fables to help illustrate virtuous behaviour in a printable, online and audio version
• Matching trace copywork for the fables in both print and cursive
• Aesop's Fables Montessori cards
• Bible scripture references for discussion
• Worksheets
• Modesty craft project featuring the Blessed Virgin Mary
• Resources for the study of a few saints associated with Modesty
• Printable reading log bookmark
• Printable Achievement Certificate
• Reading list and more.

Stop by and have a look.  Feel free to drop us a line if you find these lessons helpful for you and your children.  We look forward to adding another virtue shortly.

Click Here to visit Our Virtue Lesson Modesty now.

Blessings,

That Resource Team

New Worksheets for Our Virtue Lessons :)

We have added new worksheets to all of our current Our Virtue Lessons

One of our favourite resource offerings on our website are Our Virtue Lessons.  These are our flagship lessons started it all as we couldn't find good, cute, fun, and Catholic learning resources to cultivate morality in a practical sense.  So, out of necessity (there is that idea again.."out of necessity") we started to create our own lessons.  Teaching children about virtuous living should be at the forefront of every Christian homeschooler's curriculum plans.  We created these cute, fun, and dare we say.."cool" resources to help kids learn about how we should live to glorify our Lord one day at a time. 

If you have never explored Our Virtue Lessons, take a peek and see how they work.  We think you will be surprised at the fun you and your child can have.  And yes, it really is all free for personal use and such.  Lessons include: learning sheets, posters, printable virtue cards, scripture work, reading lessons and book suggestions, discussion activities, copywork, learning extensions, and more.  We currently offer lessons on consideration, courage, determination, joyfulness, love, thankfulness, responsibility, and kindness.

PLUS... we are excited to announce that we will be uploading a brand new Virtue Lesson on Monday!!


Click Here to visit Our Virtue Lessons now and see the new worksheets.


Blessings,

That Resource Team

July 8 - The Works of Mercy In Johnny Crow's Garden

Good morals and virtuous behaviour from our fine feathered friend, Johnny Crow.

This was perhaps one of the best activities we did during this book. In a very classical learning style, we went through the book page by page and found all the instances and examples we could of good manners, virtuous behaviour, and Works of Mercy on the part of Johnny Crow.  These examples help to reinforce the Gifts of the Holy Spirit - Wisdom, Knowledge, and Understanding.  All of that from the natural scavenger, the crow.  Who would have thought, eh?

Here are the examples we came up with to share with you based on the Corporal Works of Mercy.  We have shared the pages as they are listed in our PIY version of this work.  You may find more examples of your own during your discussion.  

I.  Feed the hungry

II.  Give drink to the thirsty

III.  Clothe the naked

IV. Shelter the homeless

V.  Visit the sick

VI. Visit the imprisoned

Vii. Bury the dead

I. Feed the hungry
p.47 - Johnny feeds his friends.  He even makes sure to call the penguins who are still admiring his garden.  After all that happens in the story, all if forgiven and every animal is accounted for at the table.  BTW - Did you find the mouse and rat with their little chairs? 

II. Give drink to the thirsty
p.38 - Johnny offers Cat a drink of milk.  In his wisdom he sees that by doing this simple act, chaos is avoided and his friend Mouse remains safe.  He is wise.  The little pictures on the surrounding pages show that Johnny is always thinking of clever ways to solve problems without he himself falling into sin.

III.  Clothe the naked
pp.14-17 - In an effort to make Bear feel more comfortable as he as has nothing to wear as well as prevent the Monkeys from further mocking Bear, he asks them to use their talents and make Bear some clothing.  This allows them to be put to use rather than having them stay idle and mock others.  He is clever and aware of how others are feeling in his home.

IV.  Shelter the homeless
pp. 18-19 - Crane is in need of shelter and Johnny provides it for him in the way of an umbrella.  Johnny thinks nothing of his own needs as he himself gets wet in the process to make sure his friend is kept dry.  He is a gracious host.

V.  Visit the sick
pp.21-24 - The Beaver believes that she is becoming ill.  Johnny Crow does all he can to ease her mind and suffering.  He stays with her even after she is out of bed.

VI.  Visit the imprisoned
pp.43-46 - Johnny rushes to visit and see his friends as they have been wrongly accused and persecuted by the fox.  He then does all he can to make sure that justice is carried out in their quick release.  In true Pope John Paul II style, our feathered friend forgives the fox and still asks him to dine with them at the table.

Thankfully, there are no casualties in need of burial in this story. :)

Try you hand at using the Spiritual Works of Mercy.  A bit more difficult but there are still instances present.

Click Here to download Our Learning Flashcards on the Corporal Works of Mercy.
Click Here to download Our Learning Flashcards on the Spiritual Works of Mercy.
Click Here to see our entire collection of  Catholic Learning Flashcards.


Blessings,

That Resource Team